Device and method for detecting occurrence of wheeze

Abstract

A device for detecting occurrence of wheeze in a lung sound includes an acoustic processing unit, a filtering unit, and an identifying unit. The acoustic processing unit is for obtaining a lung sound and for generating a raw sound signal accordingly. The filtering unit is for filtering the raw sound signal to obtain a filtered signal. The filtered signal has a plurality of sections with respect to the time domain. The identifying unit is for computing an energy value of each of the sections of the filtered signal, and for determining that a wheeze occurs when the energy values of a part of the sections are larger than a predetermined value and duration of the part of the sections is longer than a predetermined observation time.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]1. Field of the Invention[0002]The invention relates to a device for detecting occurrence of wheeze, more particularly to a device for detecting occurrence of wheeze using biorthogonal wavelet filter banks.[0003]2. Description of the Related Art[0004]Conventionally, irregularity in a lung sound of a patient, such as a wheeze, can be detected using a stethoscope. Nonetheless, a doctor may not accurately detect all occurrences of wheeze using a stethoscope and the judgment made by the doctor on the occurrence of wheeze may be not objective. Additionally, such auscultation method for detecting wheeze cannot provide real time detection for those people who are prone to wheeze.[0005]One way to address the aforementioned drawbacks is to provide a wheeze detecting device for continuously monitoring a lung sound of a patient and for detecting wheeze occurrence in the lung sound. The wheeze detecting device may be practical since the wheeze in the lung sound ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The patent aims to create a device that can detect wheeze in a lung sound accurately and continuously. The technical effect of this invention is to provide a tool for diagnosing, monitoring, and treating respiratory illnesses.

Problems solved by technology

Nonetheless, a doctor may not accurately detect all occurrences of wheeze using a stethoscope and the judgment made by the doctor on the occurrence of wheeze may be not objective.

Additionally, such auscultation method for detecting wheeze cannot provide real time detection for those people who are prone to wheeze.

This algorithm however, involves a fixed window function that may result in difficulty in distinguishing a high-frequency signal and a low-frequency signal from the sound signal.

Thus, the STFT algorithm may be unsuitable for analyzing the sound signal of wheeze.

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